Kiwifruit plant named ‘ZES008’

ABSTRACT

A new, distinct, and stable variety of the plant Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis is disclosed. The variety of plant results from the selection among a population of seedlings derived from crossing the kiwifruit selections known as ‘ZES006’ and CK51_09 (unpatented). The variety of plant is characterized by a medium-weight, high sweetness fruit with a dark, very strong spread of reddish color along the locules. The new variety of plant has been named ‘ZES008’.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Actinidiachinensis var. chinensis.

Variety denomination: ‘ZES008’.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a newand distinct variety of the kiwifruit plant, Actinidia chinensis var.chinensis ‘ZES008’, as herein described and illustrated. The newkiwifruit plant variety ‘ZES008’ was selected from a population ofseedlings derived from crossing two kiwifruit selections: A. chinensisfemale ‘ZES006’ x A. chinensis male CK51_09 (unpatented) by controlledpollination and as part of a large breeding program. The cross was madein October 2005 at Te Puke, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. The variety wasselected as K07.19-10-09e and has been named ‘ZES008’. It was selectedfor its high sweetness and consistently dark, very strong spread ofreddish color along the locules.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens in full color of thefruit, flowers, and leaves of the new variety ‘ZES008’. Plants wereobserved beginning in 2011. The colors as depicted are as nearly true asis reasonably possible in a color representation of this type. Colorsmay vary depending upon growing conditions under different climate,soil, and cultivation conditions. Fruit skin color may also varydepending upon extent of exposure to direct sunlight.

The file of this patent contains at least one drawing executed in color.Copies of this patent with color drawing(s) will be provided by thePatent and Trademark Office upon request and payment of the necessaryfee.

Some embodiments of the disclosure may be understood by referring, inpart, to the present disclosure and the accompanying photographs,wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates typical young shoots of the disclosed variety‘ZES008’ according to a specific embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates typical fruit (on the vine), stems, and leaves of thedisclosed variety ‘ZES008’ according to a specific example embodiment ofthe disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates typical dormant, one-year-old stems of the disclosedvariety ‘ZES008’ according to a specific example embodiment of thedisclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates the adaxial (top) surface (top row) and abaxial(bottom) surface (bottom row) of typical mature leaves of the disclosedvariety ‘ZES008’ according to a specific example embodiment of thedisclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates typical flowers (on the vine) and leaves of thedisclosed variety ‘ZES008’ according to a specific example embodiment ofthe disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates a top view (top row), bottom view (middle row), andside view (bottom row) of typical flowers (in the studio) of thedisclosed variety ‘ZES008’ according to a specific example embodiment ofthe disclosure;

FIG. 7 illustrates typical fruit (in the studio) of the disclosedvariety ‘ZES008’ from a side-view (top row), a top-view (middle row),and a bottom-view (bottom row) according to a specific exampleembodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a typical fruit of the disclosed variety ‘ZES008’ incross-section (top row) and longitudinal-section (bottom row) accordingto a specific example embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new plant variety. Thespecimens described were grown, asexually propagated, and observed inNew Zealand at The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food ResearchLimited, which is located across multiple regions including Northland,Bay of Plenty, and Gisborne. Vines of ‘ZES008’ were grafted ontoexisting ‘Bruno’ rootstock and grown in replicated plots alongsidecomparison varieties.

All varieties discussed and described herein were managed under standardorchard practice. This included growing the plants on a standard pergolastructure at a height of 1.8 m, and allowing each plant to canopy anarea of approximately 15 m². Except where otherwise noted, measurementsof each characteristic were obtained from ten randomly selected plants.

All dimensions are in millimeters and all weights are in grams (unlessotherwise stated). Certain characteristics of this variety and thecomparison varieties discussed herein, such as growth and color, maychange with changing environmental conditions (e.g., light, temperature,moisture), nutrient availability, rootstocks, or other factors. Colordescriptions and other terminology are used in accordance with theirordinary dictionary descriptions, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. Color names beginning with a capital letter designate valuesbased upon The R.H.S. Colour Chart published by The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England (2001 Edition).

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The new plant variety, ‘ZES008’ is described in detail below based upongrowth trials performed in New Zealand. Traditional fruit breedingmethodology was used to develop new kiwifruit varieties as part of alarge breeding program. In October of 2005, ‘ZES008’ was bred byhybridization through the controlled pollination of female plants of thevariety ‘ZES006’ with male pollen of the variety CK51_09. In July 2011,seedlings (progeny plants) were selected based on project criteria forcharacteristics such as high sweetness and consistently dark, verystrong spread of reddish color along the locules. In 2011, the selectedprogeny were asexually propagated and grafted onto ‘Bruno’ rootstock forfurther evaluation and selection (replicated clonal trials). Otherrootstocks sources may be used without varying from this disclosure. Thereplicated clonal trials were evaluated between 2011 and 2019 foruniformity and stability. Asexual propagation of the new kiwifruitvariety ‘ZES008’ by grafting shows that the unique combination ofcharacteristics of the variety come true to form and are established andtransmitted through succeeding propagation. To obtain true-to-typeclones of the initial plants, asexually propagated plants were obtainedby grafting dormant buds from the original seedlings onto rootstocks.Scions were grafted in the winter months and were analyzed and describedduring their second and third years of fruiting.

Male pollen parent CK51_09 was bred by The New Zealand Institute forPlant and Food Research. The male pollen parent is distinguishable from‘ZES008’ at least in that it does not bear fruit.

Female parent ‘ZES006’ was also bred by The New Zealand Institute forPlant and Food Research. The female parent is distinguishable from‘ZES008’ at least in that it has: a more depressed leaf scar; a sparserdensity of hairs on the petiole; shorter hair on the flower stalk; anelliptic general fruit shape; a weakly sloping shoulder shape at thestalk end; an orange-white fruit core color at harvest; a mediumadherence of fruit skin to fruit flesh at eating ripeness; an oblatefruit core in cross section; and high sweetness. The variety ‘ZES008’ ismaintained by vegetative propagation through cutting, propagation, andgrafting. Suitable male pollinizers for the candidate variety include‘Bruce’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,613) and ‘Sparkler’.

PLANT AND FOLIAGE

The disclosed variety is a female plant that is diploid and lacksself-setting (absent). It expresses an upright and spreading habit andreadily grows on a string canopy structure. It is moderate in size andhas medium vigor.

Young shoots (FIG. 1) of ‘ZES008’ exhibit sparse tomentose hairs. Theanthocyanin (red) coloration on the growing tips of the young shoots isabsent or very weak (RHS 146C) and the anthocyanin (red) coloration ofthe leaf axil is also absent or very weak (RHS 152D).

Dormant one-year-old stems (FIG. 2, FIG. 3) of ‘ZES008’ have red-brown(RHS 166A) coloring on the upper side. On average, dormant one-year-oldstems have 5.1 lenticels per cm² (range 3 to 7) (few), with thelenticels being medium in size and having a brown color (RHS 165D). Theaverage diameter of one-year-old stems is 11.3 mm (range 9.8 mm to 12.4mm) (medium), based on a 20-stem sample. One-year-old stems typicallyhave very little waxy white powder on the surface of their smooth bark.The one year-old stems have absent or sparse hairs that are downy intexture.

The average dormant bud diameter is 6.7 mm (range 5 mm to 8.9 mm), basedon a sample size of 20 stems. Prominence of bud support is medium andthe proximal face of the bud support is perpendicular. The leaf scar ofone-year-old stems is strongly depressed. The pith is lamellate. Themark of the petiole is moderate in depth.

The leaf blade of ‘ZES008’ is broad ovate in shape, medium in size, withan acuminate-shaped leaf tip (FIG. 4, FIG. 5). The ratio of length towidth of the leaf blade is intermediate. The green coloration on theupper surface of a typical ‘ZES008’ leaf blade is moderate in itsintensity (RHS 147A) (FIG. 4 top row), while the lower surface of theleaves are yellow green (RHS 147B) in color (FIG. 4 bottom row). Thevariety includes both leaves on which basal lobes are slightly apart andleaves on which the basal lobes touch (touching each other). Typicallythe leaves are not variegated (absent). The number of ciliate serrationson the leaf blade of ‘ZES008’ is few and those serrations that arepresent are small in size. The upper side of the leaf has only sparsehairs if any, while the lower side of the leaf is covered by amoderately dense covering of hairs (medium). There is weakpuckering/blistering on the upper side of the leaf blade.

The petiole of ‘ZES008’ is medium to large relative to the leaf blade,with the average length of a petiole being 105.3 mm (range 84 mm to 128mm), based on 20 samples. The upper side of the ‘ZES008’ petioles haveonly weak anthocyanin (red) coloration (RHS 59B).

INFLORESCENCE

Characteristics of ‘ZES008’ inflorescence were calculated based on theresults of a 20-flower sample. The inflorescence (FIG. 5) of ‘ZES008’ issolitary and, on average, many flowers are present in eachinflorescence. There is an average of 5.4 inflorescences per lateralshoot (range 4 to 6), 0.8 lateral flowers per shoot (range 0 to 3), and0.1 lateral flowers per inflorescence (range 0 to 0.5). Anthocyanin(red) color is absent to very weak on the unopened flower, with redcoloration (RHS N66A) on the calyx edges. The position of the firstspike on the flower bud is low and the protruding petal end has veryweak anthocyanin (red) coloration. The flower stalk is short in lengthand has a moderate density of medium length hair. The basal node isspike bearing.

‘ZES008’ flowers typically have an average of 7.4 sepals (range 6 to 10sepals), which are green (RHS 138B) with a medium density of short sepalhairs. Terminal flowers of ‘ZES008’ are, on average, 44.9 mm in diameter(range 40.7 mm to 50.1 mm) (medium) with overlapping petals. Flowershave a concave shape in profile and a moderate petal shoulder (FIG. 6).Each flower of ‘ZES008’ has a medium number of petals with the averagebeing 7.8 petals (range 6 to 9) per flower, and with 80% of the flowershaving more than 6 petals. Petals have an average length of 21.8 mm(range 19.7 mm to 23.9 mm), an average width of 17.7 mm (range 14.7 mmto 21.5 mm), and an average petal length/width ratio of 1.2 (range 1 to1.4). Petals are yellowish white in color on the adaxial side (RHS 158C)with even shading of the main color, and green secondary colorationwhich is distributed as a basal spot only. The petal apex is weaklycurved upwards, and both the petal base and the filament are light greenin color.

Each flower typically has about 33.8 styles (range 30 to 40) (medium),the styles having an irregular attitude, a weak sinosity, and whitecolor. The average peduncle length is 46.4 mm (range 33.5 mm to 57.6mm). There are a medium number of anthers that are yellow orange incolor (RHS 20A). Ovaries are ovoid in shape.

FRUIT

The ‘ZES008’ plant produces a fruit that is elliptic in shape (FIG. 2,FIG. 7) and oblate in shape at cross section (FIG. 8, top row). Themaximum lateral diameter of the fruit is in the equatorial portion ofthe fruit. The fruit has an average length of 60 mm (range 57 mm to 62.6mm) (short), a narrow-medium width, and a medium length to width ratio.The maximum diameter of the fruit on average is 45.9 mm (range 42.5 mmto 49.9 mm) and the minimum diameter is on average 42.9 mm (range 39.8mm to 46.2 mm), making the ratio of maximum to minimum diameter 1.1.‘ZES008’ produces fruit with medium weight, averaging around 73.5 g(range 62.3 g to 87 g).

‘ZES008’ fruit has a weakly depressed stylar end. The calyx ring of thefruit is medium expressed.

The stalk of ‘ZES008’ fruit has a medium thickness and is short inlength, averaging 35.4 mm (range 26.5 mm to 49.7 mm). The stalk lengthto fruit length ratio is 0.6 (range 0.4 to 0.9) (medium). The fruitshoulder at the stalk end is weakly sloping.

‘ZES008’ fruit has greenish brown skin (RHS 152A at harvest, RHS 152C ateating maturity) that moderately adheres to the flesh of the fruit ateating ripeness (medium). The small, but numerous, lenticels on the skinhave medium conspicuousness. The fruit of ‘ZES008’ is hairy, having amedium density of reddish-brown colored hairs (RHS 163B). The downyhairs are primarily found at the stylar end of the fruit and are short,soft, and weakly adhere to the skin of the ‘ZES008’ fruit. ‘ZES008’fruit has a persistent sepal.

The average core diameter of ‘ZES008’ fruit is 10.7 mm (range 8.6 mm to12.4 mm), with an average minimum core diameter of 7.3 mm (range 5 mm to10.4 mm) and an average maximum core diameter of 14.1 mm (range 10.4 mmto 19.2 mm). The fruit core has a medium width relative to the ‘ZES008’fruit. The fruit core is orange-white (RHS 159B) in color at harvest andis white in color (RHS 155A) at eating ripeness. In cross-section the‘ZES008’ fruit core is oblate in shape (FIG. 8, top row).

At eating ripeness, the outer pericarp of ‘ZES008’ is greenish-yellow incolor with red speckles (RHS 46A) with substantial variation in theamount of speckling from fruit to fruit. The fruit has, on average,about 31.7 locules (range 29 to 35), which are red (RHS 46A) and dark.The spread of reddish color along the locules is very strong (FIG. 8).

‘ZES008’ fruit has a high sweetness value with an average ripe brixvalue of 21.1 (range 18.7 to 23.9).

TIMING OF HORTICULTURAL EVENTS

‘ZES008’ plants display an early timing of vegetative bud burst (10% ofbuds showing green shoots) with budbreak occurring in early September inNew Zealand.

The beginning of flowering time (10% of flowers being fully opened) for‘ZES008’ plants is early, occurring in mid-October in New Zealand. Thetiming of fruit maturity for harvest of ‘ZES008’ plants is early withfruit harvest in New Zealand beginning in late March. Fruit harvested ata commercially appropriate firmness of 4-7 kgf between late March andearly April in New Zealand required a period of ripening before theywere soft enough to eat. The fruit is capable of maintaining a meanfirmness above 0.5 kgf for up to twenty weeks under suitable conditions(e.g., cold storage with a controlled atmospheric environment havingincreased CO₂ levels and low O₂).

CULTIVATION

‘ZES008’ is maintained as grafted plants in an orchard setting in the TePuke region of New Zealand by appropriate personnel at the New ZealandInstitute for Plant and Food Research. The typical rootstock for‘ZES008’ is ‘Bruno’, however ‘ZES008’ plants can be grown on the samerootstocks as other standard varieties (e.g., ‘Hayward’ and ‘Hort16’).

In the Southern hemisphere, seeding may be performed throughout themonth of April. Planting may be performed in the Southern hemispherefrom the beginning of July through the beginning of August. Grafting maybe performed in the Southern hemisphere from the middle of June throughthe end of August. Cutting may be performed in the Southern hemispherefrom the beginning of June through the end of July.

DISEASE TOLERANCE

‘ZES008’ appears to have substantial tolerance against bacterial flowerrot caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) with less than5% of flowers being infected in the New Zealand trials.

COMPARISON TO PARENTAL VARIETIES

The distinctive characteristics of this variety, ‘ZES008’, describedabove in detail, were observed in several growing regions of NewZealand, including Northland, Bay of Plenty, and Gisborne, and in the TePuke region of New Zealand at the New Zealand Institute for Plant andFood Research. Maternal parent variety ‘ZES006’ was grown in anotherblock of the same orchard. Variations noted in TABLE 1 below between‘ZES008’ and the maternal parent ‘ZES006’ are for example purposes onlyand should not be construed as the only variations between thevarieties. Other variations between ‘ZES008’ and the parental varietiesmay exist. Male parent variety CK51_09 does not bear fruit.

TABLE 1 CHARACTERISTIC ZES008 ZES006 Stem: leaf scar strongly moderatedepressed depressed Petiole: density of hairs sparse moderate Flowerstalk: length of hair medium long Fruit: general shape elliptic oblongFruit: shape of shoulder at weakly sloping truncate stalk end Fruit:core color at harvest orange-white yellow-white Fruit: adherence of skinto medium strong flesh at eating ripeness Ripe fruit: general coreoblate transverse elliptic shape in cross section Ripe fruit: sweetnesshigh medium

COMPARISON TO CLOSEST CULTIVARS

The distinctive characteristics of ‘ZES008’, described above in detail,were observed in several growing regions of New Zealand, includingNorthland, Bay of Plenty, and Gisborne, and in the Te Puke region of NewZealand at the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research.Comparison vines of Actinidia chinensis Planch cv. ‘Hongyang’ (hereafter‘Hongyang’) were grown alongside ‘ZES008’ for comparison purposes.Comparison vines of Actinidia chinensis cv. ‘Hort22D’ (hereafter‘Hort22D’) (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,893) were grown in another block ofthe same orchard. Variations noted in TABLE 2 below between ‘ZES008’,‘Hongyang’, and ‘Hort22D’ are for example purposes only and should notbe construed as the only variations between the varieties. Othervariations between ‘ZES008’ and the noted varieties may exist.

At least ‘ZES008’ differs from ‘Hongyang’ in the degree of depression ofthe leaf scar, density of hairs on the petiole, length of hairs on theflower stalk, flower shape in profile, general shape of fruit, degree ofdepression of the stylar end of the fruit, shape of shoulder of thestalk end of the fruit, skin color at harvest, core color at harvest,adherence of skin to flesh at eating ripeness, color of outer pericarpat eating ripeness, shape of the fruit core in cross section, fruitsweetness, spread of reddish color along locules, and intensity ofreddish color in locules.

At least ‘ZES008’ differs from ‘Hort22D’ in the degree of depression ofthe leaf scar, length of hairs on the flower stalk, general shape offruit, degree of depression of the stylar end of the fruit, shape ofshoulder of the stalk end of the fruit, skin color at harvest, densityof hairs on skin, core color at harvest, adherence of skin to flesh ateating ripeness, color of outer pericarp at eating ripeness, and fruitsweetness.

The title, abstract, background, and headings are provided in compliancewith regulations and/or for the convenience of the reader. They includeno admissions as to the scope and content of prior art and nolimitations applicable to all disclosed embodiments.

TABLE 2 CHARACTERISTIC ZES008 Hongyang Hort22D Stem: leaf scar stronglymoderate moderate depressed depressed depressed Petiole: density ofhairs sparse moderate sparse Flower stalk: length of medium short shorthair Flower: shape in profile concave convex concave Fruit: generalshape elliptic oblong oblong Fruit: stylar end weakly strongly weaklyblunt depressed depressed protruding Fruit: shape of shoulder weaklytruncate truncate at stalk end sloping Fruit: skin color at greenishyellow- yellow-green harvest brown green Fruit: density of hairs onmedium medium sparse skin Fruit: core color at orange-white whiteyellow-white harvest Fruit: adherence of skin medium strong strong toflesh at eating ripeness Ripe fruit: outer pericarp yellowish-yellowish- yellowish- color at eating ripeness green with green greenred speckles Ripe fruit: general core oblate transverse oblate/ shape incross section elliptic transverse elliptic Ripe fruit: sweetness highmedium medium Ripe fruit: Average 190.4 162 125.3 vitamin C content (mgper 100 g fruit weight) Ripe fruit: spread of very strong medium verystrong reddish color along locules Ripe fruit: intensity of dark mediumdark reddish color in locules

What is claimed is:
 1. A new, distinct, and stable kiwifruit plantsubstantially as herein described and illustrated, characterized by amedium-weight, high sweetness fruit with a dark, very strong spread ofreddish color along the locules.